Bone Abstracts

Objectives: To assess the pharmacological management of osteoporosis in a cohort of hospitalized medical in-patients within a Welsh district general hospital.

Materials and methods: We collected data using medical records on a structured proforma as a point prevalence study targeting medical inpatients aged fifty and above in an admitted hospital cohort.

Results: Out of the 117 patients, 88 (75.21%) of them had greater than three risk factors. Out of the 117 patients only 28 (24%) of the in-patients were on any form of treatment for osteoporosis. And an equal number (i.e. 24%) had undergone a fracture risk assessment. Only 16 (13.6%) of them were on both calcium-vitamin D3 and a bisphosphonate. Out of 117, 25 of them were receiving calcium and vitamin D. Of them were on Bisphosphonates (17 on alendronic Acid, one on denosumab, and one on risedronate)

Conclusion: A significant percentage of hospitalized inpatients have risk factors for osteoporosis. Several of them have multiple risk factors but are inadequately treated for osteoporosis. Creating an awareness in this aspect among health professionals for identifying and adequately treating patients with osteoporosis would be a step towards reducing the burden of this chronic and treatable condition.